A History of Violence (DVD, 2006)

This movie is a 5/5 on about 2 scenes and that's all. The director could have cut out the 40 minutes leading up to each action scene. If you like slow build ups and action that you miss if you grab your cup or a drink, then this movie is for you. I was expecting more of an action filled film with the title "History of Violence."

They spent too much time on the History and not enough on the Violence.

The story line is pretty much summed up in the movie trailer and most of the content in the movie is slow moving. There really isn't much action. I'm still confused on the frontal nudity and what was up with the fight/rape scene in the stairway? Not impressive. I was really dissappointed with William Hurt, his personality no way resembles the mob character in the film. Viggo's character leaves so many mixed feelings about his personality, is he good, bad, mentally unstable? They really leave that for your own conclusion.

Action!!!!!!! Great show I would not let some kids watch. I wish more movies were this good. A must see........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

David Cronenberg in his most mainstream film gives us the adaptation of the graphic novel of the same name.This film questions on the how far you will go to use violence to protect your family and how deep its connection with all of us.As we all know its human nature.

The film is fairly close to the graphic novel with minor little differences like for example names have been changed,also the town's name plus there are a couple of sex scenes that are not in the book.As the film starts we meet two bad guys in the middle of nowhere that cause the whole plot to unravel for Tom Stall (Viggo Mortensen) and his lawyer wife (Maria Bello) and his two kids Jack (Ashton Holmes) and Sarah (Heidi Hayes).While the two men are on the way to the small Indiana town that Tom lives.We see how life is in a small town and for Stall family.Its quiet, no fuss and hassels.Everyone knows everyone its most of the time a nice and quiet to live.While Tom and Eddie are ending a night in their diner that they own the two bad guys we saw in the start arrive.As they attempt to rob the place and threaten the people inside Tom in self defense kills both of them and saves the day.Now the hero,the event is all over the news.This as a event brings attention to mobster Fogarty.He believes Tom is a guy called Joey that he new from Philadelphia.This endangers the whole family.As Fogarty kind of stalks the family for Tom to reveal truth of who he really is.Is he Joey with Mafia connections or really Tom and its just a minor misunderstanding.

Every great film needs a great cast.Viggo Mortensen as Tom is one of his best roles yet.As a family man,husband and somewhat violent man Viggo is just great.Maria Bello in a great performance that will get her a Oscar nomination and already a Golden Globe nomination.Ed Harris is very good at playing the mean and stalking Fogarty.And last William Hurt.His part not that big,but its one of those performances that you just cant forget.He might get a nomination for a Oscar but its still not for sure.

This film asks the questions of what kind of history of violence do we have or anybody else has.Do you really know a another person.What person he truly is.And where is the limit of using violence to survive.And to protect those closes to you.And you can go also to the Darwinian sense the survival of the fittest.Also I cant forget even though that this film is Cronenberg's most mainstream film this does have Cronenberg touches everywhere.From the blood that has his touches for being quick,unexpected and disgusting for some people but its needed.And how he deals with characters to the fullest so we can understand them and feel in danger with them.Also the sex scenes in the film are needed to show the connection between the character's and their love and trust that they have.

On the DVD the film will be presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen,with both a English Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS 5.1 tracks.Extras will include a feature commentary by director David Cronenberg,a deleted scene with commentary by director David Cronenberg, a documentary called Acts of Violence and a Violence's History: United States Version vs. International Version featurette.Ending the special features will be an Unmaking of Scene 44 featurette, a Too Commercial for Cannes featurette, and a theatrical trailer for the film.

This is one of the best films of 2005.Almost on every list of the top ten films of 2005 by critics and already nominated for many awards.This is one of Cronenberg's best films next to The Fly as his best in my opinion.Plus this a New Line Platinum Edition that tells you one thing that this DVD is going to be worth the buck.

The DVD box says that a History of Violence was on over 150 top 10 lists of 2005 movies... and it would be on mine as well. This movie was spectacular - well directed, gorgeously acted - and an all-star cast to boot - and enjoyably gory and dirty. I expected A History of Violence would be something different than it was - but I enjoyed the twists and unsuspecting storyline. Ed Harris was terrific as the villian, Maria Bello was fantastic AS ALWAYS (I adore her) and Viggo Mortensen plays the twisted protagonist with a sense of passion and empathy.

Overall rating: 5/5

A History of Violence Cast - Ed Harris, Maria Bello, Peter MacNeill, Stephen McHattie, Viggo Mortensen, William Hurt

I like ed harris, but this movie was rotten!!! Dont bother with the DVD! If I had known, I would have waited until this was on TV!!! Thanks for reading my opinion, and if you'ld like to check out my store, I am permitted by ebay to provide you a link here:
http://stores.ebay.com/SellsEveryTime

This was a total waste of time and I hate saying that because I like Viggo Mortensen. The storyline just wasn’t developed enough. I even thought the acting was bad. I actually wanted to walk out of the theater when I saw this. That’s saying a lot because I see tons of movies and never feel that way. My husband felt the same way, so it isn’t just a woman thing.

I want to state right off that this is NOT a kid movie or a family movie. Watch is before allowing your preteens-teens watch it as it does have violence and 2 sex scenes. I personally thought the sex scenes were tame compared to what can be found on TV, but the implication that the hero was doing ....to the female and vice versa in the first sex scene seemed offensive to one freind of the family even though they didn't SHOW it in detail. The violence is a tad gory and more realistic than most movies of the this type, but it doesn't dominate the movie storyline so fans of Pulp Fiction or Kill Bill will be disappointed or feel mislead by the title.

You have a man who has been married long enough to have a teenage son and a young daughter. He runs a diner and all seems quite in this small town until the two fellows from the beginning come in to rob the place and probably kill the people inside if the beginning is anything to go by. The "hero" saves the diner and stops the bad guys which leads into the question of how did he do it and why do some mafia related thugs arrive swearing he is this other fellow Joey who was best known for killing? Is he Joey? If he is, why are they hunting for him and why did he come to this quiet town? If he isn't, how will he survive the mafia thugs harrassing him and his family? Then when you have your answer on that, you get to deal with the ramification of his actions with his family. Nothing is cut and dry here and you can see Viggo's character struggling to figure out what is his best choice. A decent flick, but almost seems too short and the ending still leaves some questions unanswered on all the fallout from the hero's decisions. Good choice to buy used or cheap for a night when nothing else is on TV.

Excellent movie thats comes full circle. Intense sex scenes; NOT for children to watch... be responsible parents.

A great 2005 movie with Viggo Mortensen, Maria Bello and Ed Harris; It may not be a complete action film, but it is a good roller-coaster of a thriller to experience and even on DVD it's better. I would recommend viewing and possibly buying it because this film is completely awesome!!!

I was tricked into believing that this was going to be a good action/thriller. With my college degree alone I could have directed this movie better!!! The only real good scene’s where when they make love on the steps and when the main man beats the crap out of the two guys that try and rob his coffee shop. I don’t recommend spending the $4.99 to rent. You’ll never get the last two hours of your life back.

Fast paced movie from begining to end. Viggo gives one of the best performences. He trys not to remember but it all comes back. A great movie for action lovers.

This is an extremely well crafted motion picture. It takes a fairly trite concept and produces a gripping story.

When a mid-western restaurant owner takes out two psychopathic killers in his restaurant, the media coverage grabs the attention of east coast mobsters with a bone to pick. How this affects him and his family, and what it reveals about their love and courage, provides an intriguing tale.

This is a rather edgy film, with extraordinary scenes of lovemaking and killing, and not suitable for the innocent or faint of heart. Rather than use top rank leading actors, the movie goes with an excellent but rather lesser known primary cast, with profound results. The way this movie was produced and directed adds many dimensions to the story, and makes for a movie very much worth seeing.

Great movie, great price even for a used DVD. Searched thru several sellers until I found the one that had not only a great price but also charged a fair amount for shipping. This seller also had great feedback so trust was also an important issue in doing business on e-bay, even if it was just spending a small amount of money.

Its fun to watch in the theatre for the first time when you dont know how it turns out. Its not memorable though. Some nice action scenes but it could have used a few more. The story starts to drag along at certain times. I give it a C.

Maria Bello, Viggo Mortensen and Juhn Hurt.

Great Effects. Viggo plays Tom Stall, and Maria Bello plays Mrs. Stall. A cross country duo team of murderers and thieves, hit small towns making their way across america, when they make their way into smalltown usa. A local diner is the setting where the would be murderers/theives decide to hold the place up.Tom Stall aka: Joey Cusack, runs his own diner. Unbeknownest to any one else, except Tom of his own deadly past, he becomes an overnight sensation and celebrity. Ed Harris plays a interested party in the movie, as he wants joey dead. John Hurt plays Joeys brother who also wants him dead.
The violence in this film, gets very realistic, and the sex is very graphic at times. Everything comes to a head when Tom is in the hospital, Tom wants his life back. He does not want his family to suffer because of him, and so he knows he must confront his past, in order to right the future. So Tom confronts the past at a deadly cost to him. In order to protect his future with his family.
Not a family film, but a film of violence, sex, cussing...I gave this a rating of 5. I like Viggo, he is a great and versatile actor, and the new girl on the block, Maria Bello, she will be one to watch for in future films. As she is outstanding wether she is alone in a scene or with a co-star of Viggo's impromptu.

THIS IS A GREAT MOVIE WITH LOTS OF ACTION... YOU DON'T KNOW HOW THIS MOVIE WILL END... TWISTS AND TURNS THROUGH OUT THE ENTIRE FILM... A MUST BUY!!!

This is an example of a film that goes down a track that is terribly wrong. It really should be redone.

What we have is a average person whose shop gets held up by a couple of killers. He overcomes the killers, saves the people in the shop and becomes a hero. Then later on a few hitman come to town thinking that he is a former hitman. It causes conflicts. Finally our hero and these hitman argue, fight and eventually the truth comes out that he used to be a criminal too. From then on the story goes down hill fast into sillness.

The acting is okay. The special effects not much.

I bought it because I like Viggo Mortensen. The movie is OK. The plot has several holes in it where you leave yourself asking; "Why didnt they just do....?" Its basically a predictable movie with some violent scenes to help the movie but other then that its pretty uninteresting. The sex between he and his wife in the movie isnt needed for the movie and when its shown, its an unrealistic setting. He kills the guy. She watches it happen. She is mad at him. They have sex. She is mad at him again. Just weird.

This movie started slow and pretty much stayed theat way. I liked the plot. It was very short. I would recommend it though.

Hated it. It was way too grafic for me. I bought it because several people wanted to see it. I let them have it after I watched it. They were men and they all liked it.

Totally wasn't what I expected. I loved this movie. It was somewhat violent, but also has great heroism and, WOW, what a great love story and some really steamy love scenes. It one for your library fur sure!

That's the real life!. Currently, we judge beforehand some actions that sadly happen in our actual society, before see what trigger that event.
The personal message: Be carefull with who you are dealing with.